3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16K vs QIDI Max4
Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16K comparisonsMore QIDI Max4 comparisons
| Property | ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16KRESIN | QIDI Max4COREXY |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | ELEGOO | QIDI |
| Class | RESIN | COREXY |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K. Elegoo's product handle is saturn-4-ultra-16k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer. 3DJake item number ELG-50.101.038300[1][2] | QIDI Max4, sold as "Max4 High-Temp 3D Printer"[3][4] |
| Release date (announcement and actual shipping) | Not documented | Not published on QIDI's product page; the machine is listed as the current replacement for the discontinued X-Max 3 (checked Aug 2026)[3][5] |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | $649.99 in us.elegoo.com's live Shopify product JSON, in stock, with compare_at_price also $649.99 — no discount active at the time of checking (Aug 2026)[2] | $1,099.00 standard on us.qidi3d.com against a $1,149.00 compare-at price, checked Aug 2026. Variants: Polar Cooler bundle $1,249.00 (was $1,348.00), Max4 Combo $1,249.00 (was $1,299.00), Combo + Polar Cooler $1,399.00[3] |
| Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk) | Distinct from the earlier Saturn 4 Ultra (12K); the 16K carries a 15120 x 6230 masking LCD with 14 x 19 um pixels. Elegoo also sells it bundled with a Mercury Plus V2.0 wash/cure station and as a pre-owned SKU, neither of which is the printer-only price[1][2] | Four variants at the US store: Standard, Polar Cooler bundle, Combo (adds QIDI Box), Combo + Polar Cooler. Direct replacement for the X-Max 3, which it differs from on every headline figure: 390x390x340 vs 325x325x315, 800 vs 600 mm/s, 370 vs 350 °C. Do not carry X-Max 3 specs across[3][5] |
| Market position: superseded? successor announced? | Not documented | Current large-format flagship as of Aug 2026; QIDI's X-Max 3 page directs buyers here[3][5] |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 211.68 x 118.37 x 220 mm[1] | 390 x 390 x 340 mm advertised[3][4] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | 327.4 x 329.2 x 548 mm[1] | 558 x 578 x 612 mm[4] |
| Net weight (kg) | Not documented | 46.5 kg net[4] |
| Frame construction & material | Metal housing with a flip-up cover and a drip guard[1] | Enclosed CoreXY chassis; QIDI does not publish a frame-material breakdown[3] |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Flip-up lid (Elegoo's own naming) over an open frame; UV-blocking cover[1] | Fully enclosed with a 3-in-1 air filter (G3 pre-filter + H12 HEPA + coconut-shell activated carbon)[4] |
| Passive chamber temperature reached (if enclosed; measured values preferred) | Not documented | 65 °C, independent active chamber heating (manufacturer claim), with a 4-pin PWM chamber fan with RPM feedback[4] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | MSLA with tilt-release: the vat tilts to peel each layer rather than pulling straight up. Elegoo claims the mechanism cuts curing time by 25%. Single Z axis, Z precision 0.02 mm[1] | CoreXY[4] |
| Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlash | Not documented | 2 mm lead Z screw with an anti-backlash nut[3] |
| Stepper motors (frame size, step angle, brand if known) | Not documented | FOC closed-loop stepper motors[4] |
| Speed & Acceleration | ||
| Max print speed (claimed, mm/s) | Not documented | 800 mm/s (manufacturer claim, maximum)[4] |
| Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²) | Not documented | 30,000 mm/s2 (manufacturer claim, maximum)[4] |
| Max volumetric flow claimed (mm³/s) | Not documented | 40 mm3/s rated flow (manufacturer claim)[4] |
| Vibration Compensation / Input Shaping | ||
| Input shaping supported? Implementation (Klipper IS / Marlin ZV / proprietary) | Not documented | Input shaper listed as a feature[4] |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Not documented | Direct drive, dual hardened-steel gears, 8.9:1 reduction[4] |
| Gear ratio & drive gear material | Not documented | 8.9:1; drive gears hardened steel[4] |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?) | Not documented | Multi-metal hotend with a ceramic heater and a 0.4 mm bimetal nozzle; ceramic throat[4] |
| Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values) | Not documented | <=370 °C claimed[3][4] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | Not documented | <=120 °C claimed on a 390 x 390 mm bed QIDI markets as ultra-uniform (no thermal imaging published)[3][4] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Not documented | Aluminium plate with silicone heater; double-sided magnetic PEI build plate[4] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | Automatic levelling, plus intelligent mechanical sensor alarms[1] | Automatic levelling; probe technology not named by QIDI[4] |
| Filament Handling & Detection | ||
| Filament runout sensor (type, location) | Not documented | Filament run-out sensor and filament tangle detection (tangle mechanism not described), plus a filament cutter[4] |
| Multi-material/multi-color capability or official upgrade path | Not documented | QIDI Box multi-colour unit supported; sold bundled as the Max4 Combo[3][4] |
| Cooling & Air Handling | ||
| Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting design | Not documented | Toolhead, model and auxiliary fans are all 4-pin PWM with RPM feedback; mainboard and chamber fans are closed-loop, chamber fan high-power turbo[4] |
| Chamber/exhaust fan & filtration (activated carbon / HEPA) | Not documented | 3-in-1 filtration: G3 pre-filter, H12 HEPA, coconut-shell activated carbon[4] |
| Electronics & Power | ||
| Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto) | 100-240 V, 50/60 Hz, 24 V 6 A[1] | 110 V / 220-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz[4] |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | Elegoo EL3D-4.0 system. Slicer is CHITUBOX[1] | Not stated on the product page; QIDI Studio, PrusaSlicer and Orca are the supported slicers[4] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | 4-inch capacitive touchscreen (control panel — not the masking LCD, see W1)[1] | 5-inch touchscreen, 480 x 800[4] |
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | USB and Wi-Fi, with WLAN file transfer[1] | Wi-Fi, LAN, USB[4] |
| Camera: built-in / optional? Resolution & framerate (verify — marketing often omits real fps) | AI camera, 1920 x 1080[1] | AI camera with print-failure detection[3][4] |
| Camera features: live monitor, timelapse, AI failure detection (spaghetti detection) — how real is it? | AI camera with print-failure detection[1] | Not documented |
| Power-Loss & Interruption Recovery | ||
| Power-loss recovery: mechanism (how is state saved? capacitor / eeprom / file on shutdown?) | Not documented | Power-loss recovery listed; mechanism not published[4] |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | 405 nm photopolymer resin; the heated tank is aimed at high-viscosity and high-speed resins. No closed compatibility list published[1] | PLA, ABS, ASA, PETG, TPU, PA, PC, and glass- and carbon-fibre-filled polymers[4] |
| Reliability, Support & Ecosystem | ||
| Warranty length & support reputation (evidence, not vibes) | Not documented | 1-year coverage, lifetime tech guidance, 14-day no-reason return[3] |
| Resin & MSLA | ||
| Masking LCD | 10-inch 16K monochrome masking LCD, 15120 x 6230 px, XY pixel pitch 14 x 19 um (manufacturer specification)[1][2] | Not documented |
| Light source | COB light source with a Fresnel collimating lens[1] | Not documented |
| Light uniformity & intensity | Light energy at the plate quoted as 5 mW/cm2, i.e. 5000 uW/cm2 (manufacturer claim, attributed to the tilt-release and Fresnel optics). No uniformity percentage published and no independent measurement[1] | Not documented |
| Vertical print speedmm/h | Up to 150 mm/h (manufacturer claim). Elegoo does not state the layer height or resin type the figure assumes[1] | Not documented |
| Release film | PFA release film. No rated life published[1] | Not documented |
| LCD life & replaceability | Masking LCD shielded by tempered 9H protective glass. Elegoo publishes no rated screen life in hours and does not state user replaceability[1] | Not documented |
| Resin vat & feeding | Replaceable resin vat with a dual pour spout and a drip guard. Heated tank with automatic temperature measurement: Elegoo states resin reaches 25 C in 26 minutes from a 5 C ambient at 50% humidity (manufacturer figure). Capacity not published; no auto-refill[1] | Not documented |
Manufacturer claims, independent measurements, packages and test conditions retain their source wording. FDM linear speed and resin vertical speed use different units and are not directly comparable. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.
Sources for this comparison
- Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K product page (technical data and description) 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K live Shopify product JSON us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Max4 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Tech Max4 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI X-Max 3 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor